Law School Costs
While the average estimated net tuition for full-time students at top performing private schools is much higher than the rest, prices do not scale with bar exam outcomes elsewhere. The average estimated net tuition at the lowest performing schools is similar to the average for mid-range schools. The following chart reflects the average estimated net tuition prices for full-time students in 2020-2021 for ABA-Approved law schools grouped by bar exam outcomes in 2018. Hover over the sparkline charts embedded in the table to see previous years' net tuition estimate averages and ranges.
Note Net tuition estimates at public schools are systematically low. More.
Tip On the left panelAt the top of the page, you can change the data scope to view net tuition from different angles.
| Grouped by 2018 Bar Outcomes1 | Average Estimated Net TuitionFull Time | |
|---|---|---|
| Public Schools | Private Schools | |
| Bar Pass Rate ≥ 85% |
-
0 schools-
$8,460 - $39,026
$6,690 - $38,784
$6,223 - $40,781
$6,679 - $41,487
$5,662 - $42,372
$5,098 - $42,660
$5,870 - $43,256
$5,688 - $45,377
-
|
-
0 schools-
$16,787 - $49,121
$13,816 - $51,036
$12,442 - $51,330
$12,380 - $52,261
$12,405 - $53,681
$15,664 - $56,433
$15,175 - $56,661
$15,588 - $57,650
-
|
| Bar Pass Rate 75% - 84.9% |
-
0 schools-
$8,544 - $34,006
$8,002 - $30,379
$7,897 - $29,184
$9,087 - $23,123
$6,191 - $23,112
$2,754 - $30,142
$522 - $22,769
$2,489 - $23,657
-
|
-
0 schools-
$22,134 - $39,945
$19,341 - $39,126
$17,284 - $40,024
$15,318 - $44,278
$16,860 - $41,717
$16,165 - $40,714
$13,551 - $39,956
$14,462 - $39,742
-
|
| Bar Pass Rate 60% - 74.9% |
-
0 schools-
$7,167 - $23,758
$8,449 - $23,576
$7,403 - $36,037
$6,973 - $35,356
$7,558 - $33,474
$7,848 - $35,332
$6,674 - $29,856
$5,986 - $27,910
-
|
-
0 schools-
$17,388 - $44,842
$16,756 - $41,761
$13,309 - $38,021
$13,104 - $37,377
$13,211 - $34,703
$12,879 - $34,287
$12,086 - $35,245
$11,510 - $37,334
-
|
| Bar Pass Rate < 60% |
-
0 schools-
$7,931 - $34,716
$7,131 - $35,499
$7,131 - $37,840
$6,293 - $36,451
$7,131 - $28,781
$6,164 - $27,236
$6,358 - $25,671
$7,854 - $27,971
-
|
-
0 schools-
$14,323 - $41,856
$14,704 - $43,385
$15,170 - $43,367
$15,304 - $42,814
$16,450 - $40,477
$15,872 - $39,200
$15,165 - $40,499
$15,463 - $42,240
-
|
The following chart plots the previous chart's underlying data.
About the Data
School-specific tuition, scholarship, and job outcome data come from the American Bar Association. Net tuition is an estimate based on nominal full-time tuition and full-time scholarship data. The estimates at public law schools are higher than reality because net tuition was calculated using resident tuition at public schools. In order to more accurately estimate net tuition, scholarship data, as well as enrollment data, would need to distinguish between residents and non-residents. The bar exam outcome groups are based on first-time bar passage rates. LST chose the breakpoints for the bar exam outcome groups and uses normal averages rather than weighted averages for the group averages.